Stepping out of the elevator, she saw six women sitting in the reception area, waiting for their appointments—waiting to extinguish a life. Lila stared at their faces, weight pressing on her heart—these women carried two lives. Soon, that second life would be gone.

The green wall behind them featured an elegant mural with the word Esperanza (meaning "hope") flourished across it. Rose thought, "This must be the most hopeless place in Santa Monica." ...